On the morning of New Year's Eve, Xia Wenxi went downstairs wearing a red sweater dress.
To match the festive atmosphere, she even tied her hair into two low buns with a red hair tie.
The goal is to make someone look like a Fuwa (a mascot of the 2008 Beijing Olympics) just by standing there.
Walking into the living room, I saw Xia Wensheng sitting there, also wearing a red sweater. The clothes worn by the brother and sister were naturally designed by Ms. Ke.
"Sleeping in on New Year's Eve? Is that even acceptable?"
Xia Wensheng was still the same Xia Wensheng; the moment he opened his mouth, Xia Wenxi wanted to kick him.
"Who says you can't sleep in on New Year's Eve? Where are Mom and Dad?"
Xia looked up towards the door upon hearing this, "There are couplets being put up outside."
Xia Wenxi had already sat down, but upon hearing this, she stood up again in her slippers, not forgetting to "criticize" Xia Wensheng.
"You didn't even help your parents put up the couplets?! That's outrageous of you."
"Go out and see for yourself. Do they look like they need my help?"
Xia Wenxi walked out defiantly, while Xia Wensheng turned his gaze back to his phone, mentally counting down one minute.
Xia Wenxi had just reached the door and hadn't even had a chance to open it when she heard Ke Shurong's voice outside.
Why did you put the couplets up crookedly?
Then came Xia Hengyuan's voice.
"Where is it crooked? Are you strabismus? It doesn't look crooked to me."
“You’re the one with a squint, you’re leaning to the left! If you can’t do it, go to the side, I’ll stick it on.”
"Why are you putting up these stickers? That ladder is too dangerous for you to climb. I'll do it, you just watch."
"Why can't I climb? You think I'm too old, huh? I knew it! I was wondering why you brought up your first love out of the blue!"
"Can you stop talking nonsense? I put up couplets here, where are you talking about? What first love? I've never even spoken to him."
"You know someone's surname is Yang even though you've never spoken to them?"
...
So... Xia Wenxi didn't even open the door, and silently retreated.
Xia Wensheng glanced at her and thought that this time it took a little longer than a minute. Maybe the prelude to his parents' argument was a bit long this time.
The Lunar New Year's Eve was so lively; their family is sure to have a prosperous year ahead!
Xia Wenxi sat back down on the sofa. Seeing Xia Wensheng's nonchalant expression, she asked him, "What's going on with Mom talking about Dad's first love? Are we about to face a family crisis?"
Xia Wensheng cleared his throat and gestured with his chin toward the water glass on the coffee table.
Xia Wenxi rolled her eyes inwardly, but still thoughtfully poured Xia Wensheng a glass of water.
"Please have some tea~"
"Um!"
Xia Wenxi picked up her water glass and took a sip, but her words were not meant to offer any answers.
"I told you not to sleep in this morning, or you'd miss a big show."
Xia Wensheng stayed at home last night and got up early this morning. While having breakfast with his parents, he witnessed a great show.
In summary, it all revolves around two words—"first love".
His mother spoke in a sarcastic and ambiguous tone throughout, mentioning his first love.
According to Uncle Zhou, the two of them started doing this yesterday, but unfortunately he left early and returned late yesterday and didn't hear anything.
Xia Wenxi asked in surprise, "I was home yesterday, how come I didn't hear anything?"
"Don't interrupt me. All you do lately is eat and sleep. What can you possibly hear?"
After Xia Wensheng finished "criticizing" his younger sister, he continued talking about what happened today.
At the breakfast table that morning, the two engaged in a fierce fight, with his father being the one who got stabbed.
When Xia Wensheng first heard about first love, he thought their family was really going to face a crisis, so even though he was about to leave, he patiently listened for a while longer.
After listening for half an hour, I could roughly determine that the elderly couple were just "flirting" and that he was part of their game, so I went out feeling reassured.
Unexpectedly, when he went out to deliver something to Huanhuan's house and came back, the two of them were still arguing!
Moreover, the battleground has shifted from the dining table to the outside.
At that moment, he was just like Xia Wenxi had been earlier, and he rushed forward to help. But when they climbed the ladder, one of them said it was leaning to the left and the other said it was leaning to the right.
The result of disagreements is... arguing and bringing up old grievances.
Xia Wensheng was truly terrified, fearing that if the two got into a heated argument, one of them would throw the ladder away, and then Xia Wensheng would be twenty-nine years old.
So he wisely hid inside the house, leaving the battlefield to the elderly couple.
As for the couplets, so be it. Even if they're pasted crookedly, you can just tilt your head to see them straight.
Xia Wenxi still didn't understand anything after listening to Xia Wensheng's words.
"Uh... so you still didn't say why they argued."
"Because I listened to them arguing for a long time but still couldn't understand what they were saying. But I guess Dad probably mentioned someone."
"Do we even need to guess?! Can't we just tell from their conversation?"
Xia Wenxi expressed her contempt for Xia Wensheng, thinking he knew something, but it turned out he didn't know much more than her.
Just as Xia Wensheng was about to retort, Xia Wenxi's phone rang, and she had to swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
Seeing Xia Wenxi's expression when she picked up her phone, Xia Wensheng knew who was calling.
Sure enough, Xia Wenxi answered the phone, said a few words, and then got up to put on her coat and go out.
Xia Wensheng saw her click her tongue twice and wondered what thoughts and feelings she was expressing.
When Xia Wenxi finished dressing and came downstairs, she saw her parents finally put up the couplets and come in.
When Ke Shurong saw that her daughter was wearing a coat, she asked her where she was going out.
"Lin Shen is here, he's outside our house. I'll go out and say a few words to him."
Ke Shurong laughed and said, "Just a few words aren't enough. It's almost noon. Why don't you invite Xiao Shen to our house for lunch?"
"Hmm, I'll ask him later."
Xia Wenxi agreed and hopped out the door like a little rabbit, which made Xia Hengyuan sigh with emotion.
The little rabbit ran out and quickly snuggled into the arms of a "big gray rabbit".
Lin Shen was wearing a dark gray coat today, and the only thing on him that had a bit of a New Year's feel to it was the scarf that Xia Wenxi had given him last time.
Xia Wenxi never imagined that a festive red scarf and a sleek, luxurious wool coat could appear together, and that they would actually complement each other perfectly!
Xia Wenxi's gaze fell from the scarf around Lin Shen's neck to his face.
She realized that whether it's a well-dressed outfit or a haphazard one, it all comes down to her face.
"Why are you here at this hour? It's New Year's Eve, aren't you busy at home?"
"There are many people in my family, so I steal a moment of free time when I'm busy."
After the two got into the car, Lin Shen took out a red envelope from his coat pocket.
"Afraid you won't have time tonight, send us red envelopes in advance, wishing you joy every year."
Xia Wenxi accepted the red envelope, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
"Looks like we're pretty in sync."
As he spoke, he took out a red envelope from his own pocket.
"I prepared this a long time ago, intending to give it to you whenever I saw you. I hope Lin Shen has good fortune every day, year after year..."
“The stream is heard every year.”
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